Don't Have a Clue What I Want from Life
Discussion
I'll be 24 years old in two weeks time and currently feel so frustrated with where I (don't) see my life going.
For the past two years I have been teaching music as a self employed instrumental teacher, I enjoy it but the income is fairly unreliable and I seem to spend a lot of time chasing payments from unreliable parents who expect something for nothing. However, in general I really enjoy the role and recently if has been picking up.
My interest in music has dwindled to the point that I know I could not be bothered to get the necessary qualifications in music to become a classroom music teacher, nor do I think I would enjoy teaching whole groups simple concepts, I enjoy the specialism of instrumental tuition.
In the past I have had a multitude of jobs, some of which I enjoyed and some which I hated. Past jobs include: car sales at main dealer level, owned my own cafe, worked in a couple of glorified admin jobs with fancy names and academic support to university students with learning difficulties.
Currently I do not have a degree following dropping out of university after foolishly thinking I would have enjoyed a degree a Motorsport Engineering ... because I like cars
- yes I was young and foolish. However, I spend a fair number of hours sat in the uni library (where I still work part time as an academic support worker) reading all manner of books about politics, sociology and economics. I am seriously considering studying for a degree part time (I cannot afford to go full time) with the University of Sheffield - http://www.shef.ac.uk/till/prospective/courses/our... my heart would like to study the BA in Social and Politic Studies but my head says I ought to study Music and work towards having a safe career in teaching but I can just never bring myself to do it.
The truth is I don't have a clue what I want to do with my life, if I could choose I'd pour myself into academia (which may seem very strange for someone at 24 without a Bachelors degree. However, I have worked with numerous students right up to and including PhD level and know that I'd simply love to study something that I am *really* interested in). Still this is the real world and one needs to be able to earn enough money to support the lifestyle they want (fairly simple for me, couple of old cars, smallish house in the countryside and that's about my lot). Not to mention self funding study is NOT cheap in the first place.
I'm just after some independent unbiased advice as to what I ought to be looking towards doing long term; should I follow my head and plough on with my music teaching hoping to build it into a full time prospect along with all the down sides or should I be looking towards following my heart and just keeping the music teaching as a bit of a nice little earner on the side? Or perhaps I should just grow up and get myself a 'proper' job?
For the past two years I have been teaching music as a self employed instrumental teacher, I enjoy it but the income is fairly unreliable and I seem to spend a lot of time chasing payments from unreliable parents who expect something for nothing. However, in general I really enjoy the role and recently if has been picking up.
My interest in music has dwindled to the point that I know I could not be bothered to get the necessary qualifications in music to become a classroom music teacher, nor do I think I would enjoy teaching whole groups simple concepts, I enjoy the specialism of instrumental tuition.
In the past I have had a multitude of jobs, some of which I enjoyed and some which I hated. Past jobs include: car sales at main dealer level, owned my own cafe, worked in a couple of glorified admin jobs with fancy names and academic support to university students with learning difficulties.
Currently I do not have a degree following dropping out of university after foolishly thinking I would have enjoyed a degree a Motorsport Engineering ... because I like cars
- yes I was young and foolish. However, I spend a fair number of hours sat in the uni library (where I still work part time as an academic support worker) reading all manner of books about politics, sociology and economics. I am seriously considering studying for a degree part time (I cannot afford to go full time) with the University of Sheffield - http://www.shef.ac.uk/till/prospective/courses/our... my heart would like to study the BA in Social and Politic Studies but my head says I ought to study Music and work towards having a safe career in teaching but I can just never bring myself to do it. The truth is I don't have a clue what I want to do with my life, if I could choose I'd pour myself into academia (which may seem very strange for someone at 24 without a Bachelors degree. However, I have worked with numerous students right up to and including PhD level and know that I'd simply love to study something that I am *really* interested in). Still this is the real world and one needs to be able to earn enough money to support the lifestyle they want (fairly simple for me, couple of old cars, smallish house in the countryside and that's about my lot). Not to mention self funding study is NOT cheap in the first place.
I'm just after some independent unbiased advice as to what I ought to be looking towards doing long term; should I follow my head and plough on with my music teaching hoping to build it into a full time prospect along with all the down sides or should I be looking towards following my heart and just keeping the music teaching as a bit of a nice little earner on the side? Or perhaps I should just grow up and get myself a 'proper' job?
It's quite obvious from your post that you want to return to education and go in a direction away from music.
You're never too old. I'm 25 and studying a BA Creative Writing part-time in Birkbeck, part of UCL. The course is 4 years instead of 3 if full time. It's cheaper than you think though depending on your income. In my position, because I earn under £16,000 and it's my first degree, I get a very generous grant. I'm lucky really as my employer is flexible and understanding, so as long as you can support yourself during the time you will be studying (which i'm sure you will, as you seem to have a good head on your shoulders) I think you should go to university and study something you're interested in.
Out of interest, what employment path would you hope to follow with a degree in sociology/politics?
What makes you think you'd enjoy such a degree, over any other?
You're never too old. I'm 25 and studying a BA Creative Writing part-time in Birkbeck, part of UCL. The course is 4 years instead of 3 if full time. It's cheaper than you think though depending on your income. In my position, because I earn under £16,000 and it's my first degree, I get a very generous grant. I'm lucky really as my employer is flexible and understanding, so as long as you can support yourself during the time you will be studying (which i'm sure you will, as you seem to have a good head on your shoulders) I think you should go to university and study something you're interested in.
Out of interest, what employment path would you hope to follow with a degree in sociology/politics?
What makes you think you'd enjoy such a degree, over any other?
toasty said:
I certainly can't move from the area I live in. I ought to expand a little further in that I absolutely HAVE to earn an income (and a half decent one at that, one that pays for a house and associated bills) I have a house and a long term partner who I plan to start a family with in about 4-5 years. I am the main earner so can only study part time. danjama said:
It's quite obvious from your post that you want to return to education and go in a direction away from music.
You're never too old. I'm 25 and studying a BA Creative Writing part-time in Birkbeck, part of UCL. The course is 4 years instead of 3 if full time. It's cheaper than you think though depending on your income. In my position, because I earn under £16,000 and it's my first degree, I get a very generous grant. I'm lucky really as my employer is flexible and understanding, so as long as you can support yourself during the time you will be studying (which i'm sure you will, as you seem to have a good head on your shoulders) I think you should go to university and study something you're interested in.
Out of interest, what employment path would you hope to follow with a degree in sociology/politics?
What makes you think you'd enjoy such a degree, over any other?
Strangely enough I write fiction in my spare time, it is not unusual for me to write about 3,000 words a day!You're never too old. I'm 25 and studying a BA Creative Writing part-time in Birkbeck, part of UCL. The course is 4 years instead of 3 if full time. It's cheaper than you think though depending on your income. In my position, because I earn under £16,000 and it's my first degree, I get a very generous grant. I'm lucky really as my employer is flexible and understanding, so as long as you can support yourself during the time you will be studying (which i'm sure you will, as you seem to have a good head on your shoulders) I think you should go to university and study something you're interested in.
Out of interest, what employment path would you hope to follow with a degree in sociology/politics?
What makes you think you'd enjoy such a degree, over any other?
I have no idea what kind of 'career' I would like other than I don't ever see myself doing a 'normal' 9-5 job. I have interest in local government and have recently applied to become a school governor. Also started looking into becoming a local councillor. I think I would enjoy lecturing at a further / higher education level and possibly research.
I think I'd enjoy the degree as I often sit in Sociology / Politics lectures at the university where I support students and really enjoy the lectures, finding myself in the library doing extra reading around the subject in my spare time. I don't do this with other subjects.
BoRED S2upid said:
Create a really annoying Christmas song the royalties will see you right for decades to come and you can focus on doing something that doesn't pay too well.
On another note, how about a job as a research assistant.
hahaha that sounds very worthy of one of my hair-brained schemes On another note, how about a job as a research assistant.
LOLI have done a little work as a research assistant before at the uni I work at and loved the role. To get into it properly I believe degree then PhD is required? Then *hope* for a post doc post? Or is there more call for this sort of thing outside of universities than I thought?
I get a sense from your post that you're not a 'job' person, but are more creative, academic and an activist. This would lend itself, as I think you're already demonstrating, to you becoming a portfolio worker. If you'd like some more formal support, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Good luck!
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